San Diego Union-Tribune (Sunday)
S.D. author unleashes ‘Queen of Storms’
Raymond E. Feist discusses the highly anticipated second installment of his Firemane series
Bestselling fantasy writer Raymond E. Feist reveals the key to getting rid of writer’s block. “The short answer is: Find the cause of it,” the San Diego resident said. “Whatever it is, organize your sock drawer, paint the house, end domestic squabbles, whatever — fix it — then write. I find sitting and staring at the screen is a total waste of time. If it won’t come to me, there’s a reason, so I find the reason.”
His highly anticipated second installment of the Firemane series, “Queen of Storms,” was released Tuesday. It continues with Hatushaly and his wife Hava. They’re not the conventional adoring couple they appear to be. Unexpected events force them to make life-changing choices, unleashing monstrous forces.
Feist has more than 30 published books, selling more than 20 million copies worldwide. “Magician’s End” and “Rides a Dread Legion” are perennial reader favorites.
Q:
For new readers, where does Book 1 leave off and Book 2 pick up?
A:
For new readers — how to avoid spoilers? Let’s say I have lulled the characters into a false sense of security, then things get nasty very quickly. Things are not what they seemed to be.
Q:
What characters did you enjoy writing this time?
A:
I’d have to say Hava and Master Bodai. Hava, because I love strong female characters. And Bodai, because he’s a teacher — I can have him get pedantic without the reader blaming me.
Q:
How does the prologue novel?set the tone for this
A:
That’s a little tough to answer without spoilers. In “King of Ashes,” the Church of the One was a distant menace, and the prologue in the new book allowed me to put a face and name to a prime actor in that organization and give some sense of motive and church politics.
Q:
Where did the inspiration for the Church of One come from?
A:
From history, the early years of the Catholic Church in ancient Rome, the evolution of the Byzantine shift into Orthodoxy, the politics of the Renaissance when the Pope had his own army. I didn’t want to delve into issues of faith, but rather deal with a powerful religion’s entity from a political point of view. In this series, I wanted a church that was a major player, socially and militarily.
Q:
Did this novel go the way you envisioned it, or did the characters lead you in a different direction?
A:
My characters frequently laugh at my choices and tell me they have other plans. I’ve probably thrown out more pages in this series of three books than the first dozen novels I wrote.
Q:
Can you share what the title will be for Book 3 in the series?
A:
“Master of Furies” is the last book in this trilogy, and it will reflect even more major changes in the lives of the characters. With any luck, the reader will put it down and shake his or her head, having enjoyed surprises and a bit of literary sleight of hand. If you pull off a surprise, it has to make sense to the reader and be a pleasant surprise. If you don’t, they throw the book across the room and call you names.
Q:
How has COVID-19 altered your writing routines, and how are you managing it?
A:
Self-isolation is sort of a lifestyle since I live alone. Wearing a mask is about the biggest change, and I’m washing my hands a lot. The biggest impact personally is stress. I worry about friends and family, and there’s this itch to stop working and see what’s on the news many times a day rather than after work. Concentration is harder, no doubt, so the work is slower, and that also adds pressure. Between politics, the eruption of social upheaval, and no distractions like sports, it’s easy to get
“Queen of Storms: Book Two of the Firemane Saga” by Raymond E. Feist Harper Voyager; 448 pages
emotionally caught up in it rather than simply focus on work. It’s getting a bit easier, but we have a long way to go. Q:
Do you still collect whiskey? Any discoveries you’ve enjoyed and like to recommend?
A:
As for recent discoveries, one Irish whiskey worth noting is Slane — which is modestly priced, so I recommend it as an excellent choice for people who are new to Irish whiskey. From Scotland, The Glenlivet has a new bottling, Caribbean Reserve, which is finished in rum barrels rather than sherry casks, and that gives this whiskey a lovely light finish but richer fruit finish.
Q:
Anything you’d like to add?
A:
I appreciate the readers’ years of support — the wonderful letters and emails. Writing is a pretty solitary undertaking, so knowing that someone is actually enjoying the work is always lovely. It’s odd, after all these years and so many books published in so many different languages, but even now I always wonder — is anyone going to read this thing and like it?
CALENDAR
ADVENTURES BY THE BOOK, (619) 300-2532 Virtual Summer Reading Adventure No. 2 — Carlsbad, with Aimee Liu, Megan Miranda, Kristin Rockaway and Amy Stanley. 2 p.m. today. adventuresbythebook.com/event/virtual-summerreading-adventure-2-carlsbad/
MYSTERIOUS GALAXY, (619) 539-7137
For virtual events, visit Mysterious Galaxy’s Facebook page.
Exclusive virtual event with T.J. Klune, in conversation with Bill Konigsberg, “The Extraordinaries,” 7 p.m. Monday. This is a ticketed event. mystgalaxy.com/klune-07-2020
Virtual event with Tay Marley (“The Summer of ’98”) and Taylor Hale (“The Summer I Drowned”), 7 p.m. Thursday.
Virtual event with Sam Maggs, in conversation with Eric Smith, “Con Quest!” 5 p.m. Friday.
WARWICK’S, (858) 454-0347
For free virtual events, visit Warwick’s Facebook page. Virtual event with Lysley Tenorio, in conversation with Mia Alvar, “The Son of Good Fortune,” 6:30 p.m. Monday. Virtual event with Heather Cocks and Jessica Morgan, in conversation with Liz Fenton and Lisa Steinke, “The Heir Affair,” 4 p.m. Tuesday. warwicks.com/event/ cocks-and-morgan-2020
Virtual event with Kevin C. O’leary, in conversation with Marci Sternheim, “Madison’s Sorrow: Today’s War on the Founders and America’s Liberal Ideal,” 4 p.m. Wednesday. Zoom event: warwicks.com/event/ oleary-2020
Virtual event with David James Poissant, in conversation with CJ Hauser, “Lake Life,” 4 p.m. Thursday. warwicks.com/event/poissant-2020